Free play device for automatic bowling alleys



June 25, 1963 H. K. HOLLENBECK 3,095,196

FREE PLAY DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC BOWLING ALLEYS Filed July 15. 1960 3,995,196 FREE PLAY DEVICE F01! AUTGh/TATEC BOWLENG ALLEY Harry Keith Hoiienheck, 8610 E. Mission, Spokane, Wash. Filed duly 13, race, tier. No. 42,725 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-54) The present invention relates to an automatically indicating free play device for use in the sport of bowling and more particularly for use in conjunction with bowling alleys equipped with automatic pin setting devices.

The game or sport of bowling has been furthered in recent years by the advent of electromechanical automatic pin setting devices. With the advent of such devices, and the increase of competition and other deterring economic forces, it is sometimes desirable for a bowling alley operator to ofier free games as a bonus or added incentive to the bowler. For such incentive or bonus to be most stimulating to the bowler, and of higher economic advantage to the bowling alley proprietor, it is oftentimes desirable to make the happening of some contingency, without the control of the bowler or the bowline alley proprietor, a condition precedent to receiving the bonus. The instant device seeks to aid in accomplishing such a purpose.

The condition precedent upon which to predicate the awarding of bonuses in the game of bowling is most logically some pre-detcrmined fall of the pins, and again most logically, the strikethe knocking down of all pins by the first ball. The instant device provides a means or" allowing a bowler, after a predetermined number of games bowled, to attempt the contingency of obtaining a strike or strikes upon the next ball or balls bowl-ed and, if this contingency occurs, free games may then be awarded such bowler.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an indicating device for use in bowling alleys equipped with automatic pin setters, to work in conjunction therewith, to indicate automatically after the bowling of a predetermined number of frames, that the bowler is to receive a bonus if he obtains a strike on the next ball, and to indicate automatically whether or not such strike is obtained.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device as aforesaid that operates automatically without any manual intervention.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device a aforesaid that operates completely without reference to the results obtained by the balls thrown between cycles for bonus awards.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device as aforesaid that may be manually regulated to provide for the required bowling of differing numbers of frames as a prerequisite between each cycle of bonus frames.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a new and novel device of the nature aforesaid of simple, economical and rugged manufacture.

ther objects and advantages of my present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and in which like numbers of reference refer to sirnilar parts throughout:

FIGURE 1 is a semi-diagrammatic circuitry diagram of my invention, as it would be attached to the circuitry of an automatic pin setting device.

FIGURE 2 is, again, a semi-diagrammatic plan view of the step-up ratchet device of my invention, indicating the nature of the operation of the step-up, solenoid and re-set solenoid.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail and par- 3,-95,i% Patented June 25, 1963 ice ticularly to FIGURE 1 thereof, the ratchet stepping device of my invention is indicated generally by the numeral 19, and the front face of it, in particular, is illustrated in FIGURE 1. Devices of this general nature are known in the automatic gaming arts, particularly in connection with so-called pin-ball device.

The ratchet stepping device it has the front face 11 with many spaced electrical contacts 12, equally spaced about the periphery thereof. The three rotatable contact arms 13, 14, and 15, immovable with reference to each other, are spaced as indicated so that they contact three adjacent electrical contacts 12 simultaneously. The contact arms 13, 14, 15. are non-rotatably carried by the central shaft 16, which is activated and moved in a rotary fashion by and in response to the motion of the ratchet wheel 17, shown in FIGURE 2.

The front face 11 of the ratchet stepping device 10, may be rotatably moved with reference to the rearward ratchet wheel 17, within limits, by loosening the screws 18 connecting the two and manually moving the face 11, with reference to the ratchet wheel 17. The screws 18 may then be retightened to hold the front face 11 and ratchet wheel 17 immovable with reference toeach other. The degree of radial movement between the two wheels 11 and 17 is, of course, limited by the circular length of the slots 19. The contact strip 21? provides means of transmitting an electric current to the contact arms 13, 14 and 15, while still allowing said arms to rotate, and the soldering lugs 21, 22 and 23, communicate electrically with the contacts 12 radially adjacent to them, 12a, 12b, 12c, respectively.

The reset solenoid 24 with its plunger 25 and the ratchet solenoid 26, with its plunger 27, are of the ordinary variety of commerce. They must, of course, generate sufficient mechanical force from an impressed electrical current to fulfill the mechanical functions given them.

The plunger 27 of the ratchet solenoid 2%, is pivotally connected to the ratchet arm 28 by the pin 29. The ratchet arm 28 is, in turn, pivotally connected and supported at the pin 39, thus creating a lever arm at its extremity. The ratchet arm 28 has the extension 31, shaped substantially as illustrated, to provide for contact with the reset arm 32. The reset arm 32 is shaped substantially as illustrated, having the projection 33 adapted to cooperate with the projection 31 of the ratchet arm 28 to reset the device, the ratchet engaging projection 34 and the spring support 35. The whole reset arm 32 is pivotally upported about the pin 36 and is pivotally attached to the plunger 25 of the reset solenoid 24 by the pin 37. An extension spring 38 is connected between the ratchet arm 28 and the pivot pin 36, as indicated, and a second extension spring 39, is fastened between the ratchet arm 23 and reset arm 32 as indicated. The axial spring 46 biases the ratchet wheel 17 to a normally counter-clockwise rotation, when the wheel 17 appears as in the view of FIGURE 2.

In the operation of the ratchet stepping device 10, when the solenoid 26 is activated, the plunger 27 is .drawn into the coil, thus causing the ratchet arm to move slightly away from the ratchet wheel 17. Because of the tension in the springs 33, 39, when the current in the solenoid 26 ceases, the ratchet arm 23 by means of an appropriate rearward projection on the surface 48, will come into engagement with the next ratchet niche in the Wheel 17 and thus cause rotation of the wheel 17 by one niche. The ratchet wheel 17 is prevented for rotating in a counterclockwise direction by means of the ratchet engaging projection 34, of the reset arm 32. When the reset solenoid 24 is activated, its plunger 25 becomes depressed within the coil, causing the rotation of the reset arm 32 about its pivot 36 and thus bringing the parts into position as illustrated. When this occurs, because of the counter-clockwise bias of the axial spring 40, the ratchet wheel 17 will return to its normal or null position, thus resetting the device for another cycle.

The electrical circuitry of my invention is illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 1. My invention is adapted to operate in conjunction with existing automatic pin setting devices, particularly those manufactured by the BrunsWick-Balke-Collender Company; and the electric currents created and supplied thereby, generally of a 24 volt alternating current variety. The ratchet stepping circuit 41, having the leads 41a and 41b for connection with an existing bowling device, activates the stepping solenoid 26 and is electrically energized directly from a pin setting device. Energy is supplied to the circuit 41 in a discrete pulse by the frame reset signal of a pin setting device of commerce (not shown) after the bowling of each frame and the ratchet stepping device thusly moves radially in a clockwise direction one ratchet notch for each frame bowled, and this, in turn, moves the contact arms 13, 14, counter-clockwise one contact point 12 for each frame bowled.

'The second, or light and reset circuit, has a potentially constant supply of 24 volt alternating current, again from the existing circuitry of an automatic pin setting device through the leads 42a, 42b. This circuit is arranged as illustrated with the reset solenoid 24, the green light 43,and the red light 44 and flasher 45 in parallel with each other, the red light 44 and flasher 45 being in series as illustrated. The three parallel circuits or" the reset solenoid 24, green light 43, and red light 44-, and flasher 45 are arranged consecutively in the order indicated on three adjacent contacts 12a, 12b, 120 of the face 11 of the ratchet stepping device 10 and ordered contact is made with them 'by the three contact arms 13, 14 and 15 to complete one'or more of the said parallel circuits. 7

A normally open pressure switch 46 is provided in parallel with the solenoid 24 to provide for the contingency of spares or blows, that is, the knocking down of all pins with the second ball thrown or the failure to knock down any pins with a ball, respectively. If a blow or spare occurs, this switch 46 is closed physically by motion of an automatic pin setter (not shown) thus operating the reset solenoid 24. V

A double pole switch 47 is provided in the leads 41a and 42b to shut the device off when desired.

In operation, the face 11 of the ratchet stepping device 10 may be adjusted so that a predetermined desired number of .frames must be bowled before the radial contact arms 13, 14 and 15 advance from their normal null position to the contact12c. This is regulated and the rotor arms 13, 14, 115 advanced as before described. When the rotor contact arm 15 has advanced to the contact 120 a circuit is'completed through the green light 43, thus causing it to become illuminated. This is a signa-l to the player and to the bowling alley operator that if a strike is obtained on the next ball a bonus or incentive award will be made. When the next ball is thrown, it be a blow or spare, the switch 46 will be activated thus causing current to flow through the reset solenoid 24 to reset the device to start another cycle. If the ball should be a strike, the rotor contact arm 15 will advance to the contact 121: thus completing a circuit 4 through the red flashing light 44 indicating the strike, and the contact arm 14 will make contact with the point 12c causing the green light to remain lighted. Upon the happening of this latter contingency, when the next ball It should be noted that my invention can be easily;

modified to allow the requirement of any number of strikes before resetting, and the red flashing light could easily be replaced with a sound signal or other types of indicating device.

While a specific embodiment of my invention has been disclosed in the foregoing specification, it should be understood that the specific terminology and structure is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts, modifications of detail and substitutions of material may be resorted to Without departing from the essence, scope or spirit of my invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

Having thusly described my invention, what I desire to protect by Letters Patent, and what I claim is:

An automatic bonus indicating device for use :with automatic pin setters comprising, in combination, a

ratchet stepping member having a planar circular face 7 with a plurality of electrical contacts spaced about the periphery thereof and a three arm rotator associated therewith, adapted to contact three adjacent face contacts simultaneously; solenoid activated mechanical means rotatably moving said three arm rotor over consecutive face contacts in response'to each frame of a bowling game; solenoid means in series with said stepping member adapted to reset said device to a normally null position when said rotor advances to a predetermined -face contact; means for biasing saidrotor to a normally null position and for adjustably varying the angular distance between this null position and aforesaid reset position;

a first signal device in series therewith adapted to operate,

after a predetermined number of frames are bowled, in response to the angular position of said contact arm-s then existing at a position rotatably forward of said reset posiof said first signal device fails to knock down all pins;

and means for supplying electric current to said indicating device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,590,444 Millman et a1. Mar. 25, 1952 

